What to look out for this Parliamentary Sitting Week
Parliament returns today, after the King’s Birthday public holiday on Monday.
Key issues listed for debate this week includes the Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund, and the Constitution Alteration Bill, which sets up the referendum for the establishment of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
The Senate has a busier week than the House of Representatives. Major issues up for debate including housing, establishing Creative Australia, migration, live animal exports, infrastructure, and defence. The Senate will also be sitting through to Friday.
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House of Representatives
TUESDAY, 13 JUNE
The House will continue with budget debate:
·????????Appropriation (No. 1) 2023-2024
·????????Appropriation (No. 2) 2023-2024
The House will then begin second reading debate on the Health Insurance Amendment (Professional Services Review Scheme) Bill, which removes the requirement for the Australian Medical Association (AMA) to agree to the appointment of the Director of the Professional Services Review (PSR). This is to ensure the independence of the PSR and to maintain public confidence in its role as a regulator. ?
After Question Time, the House of Representatives will debate The Nature Repair Market Bill 2023. The Bill would create a voluntary national market for biodiversity projects. Landholders who undertake projects that enhance or protect biodiversity would be able to receive tradeable certificates. This would facilitate private investment in biodiversity and drive environmental improvements across Australia.
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WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE
The House will meet at 9am on Wednesday, with the introduction of bills preceding debate on the Trade Support Loans Amendment Bill 2023, which amends the Trade Support Loans Act 2014 to empower the Minister to, by legislative instrument, determine a new Australian Apprenticeships Priority List. The changes will allow the Minister to expand eligibility for the program to people who, through their apprenticeship or traineeship, are undertaking qualifications that lead to occupations experiencing skills shortages, such as in the aged care, disability care and childcare sectors.
The Statute Law Amendment (Prescribed Forms and Other Updates) Bill 2023 will go to second reading debate. The Bill updates references to prescribed forms in the statute law of the Commonwealth, makes minor and technical amendments of the statute law of the
Commonwealth, and repeals certain obsolete Acts and provisions of Acts.
After Question Time, the House will continue debate on The Nature Repair Market Bill 2023, and will conclude with debate on the Ministers of State Amendment Bill 2022 which amends the Ministers of State Act of 1952 to require the Official Secretary to the Governor-General to publish a notifiable instrument on the Federal Register of Legislation to advise that the Governor-General has chosen, summoned and sworn an Executive Councillor to the Federal Executive Council, appointed an officer to administer a Department of State of the Commonwealth, directed a Minister of State to hold an office, or has revoked any of these positions.
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THURSDAY, 15 JUNE
The House will meet at 9am on Thursday, with the introduction of bills preceding continuation of debate on the Ministers of State Amendment Bill 2022, Appropriation Bills, and second reading debate on the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Amendment Bill 2023, which gives ASIO additional security vetting and security clearance functions, including the ability to make security clearance decisions for ASIO and non-ASIO personnel.
A full list of legislation scheduled in the House of Representatives can be found here.?
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Senate
TUESDAY, 13 JUNE
Meeting at noon, the Senate will debate Government Business, including the Government’s housing measures, the Housing Australia Future Fund Bill 2023, National Housing Supply and Affordability Council Bill 2023, and Treasury Laws Amendment (Housing Measures No. 1) Bill 2023. The Bills:
·????????establish the Housing Australia Future Fund to make grants, and enable Housing Australia to make grants and loans, in relation to acute housing needs, social housing or affordable housing;
·????????establishes the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council as an independent advisory body to the Commonwealth Government on matters relating to housing supply and affordability; and
·????????renames the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation to Housing Australia.
Second reading debate will begin on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) Bill 2023, which will proposes an alteration to the Constitution to recognise First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
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The Senate is scheduled to debate the Appropriate Bills, after they pass the House of Representatives.
Also up for debate is the Public Interest Disclosure Amendment (Review) Bill 2022, which amends the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 to improve the framework for whistleblowing in the Commonwealth public sector. The Bill includes measures to:
·????????increase flexibility for agencies in handling disclosures;
·????????provide increased protections for disclosers;
·????????enhance oversight of the scheme by the Ombudsman and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security;
·????????make it easier for disclosures to be investigated under another law or power; and
·????????improve information-sharing provisions.
The Senate will debate the Migration Amendment (Giving Documents and Other Measures) Bill 2023, which amends the Migration Act 1958 to improve the fairness and efficiency of the migration process.
WEDNESDAY, 14 JUNE
The Senate sits at 9am on Wednesday, starting with Consideration of Private Senator’s Bills. Scheduled for debate is a Bill from the Deputy Manager of Opposition Business, Senator the Hon Jonathon Duniam, the Productivity Commission Amendment (Electricity Reporting) Bill 2023. The Bill amends the Productivity Commission Act 1998 to require the Productivity Commission to prepare quarterly reports on retail electricity prices and energy sources for electricity generation, and require the minister to table these reports within 30 days after the end of the quarterly period.
Government Business is scheduled for 10.10am, where the Creative Australia Bill 2023 is up for debate. The Bill establishes Creative Australia by providing for the body corporate previously known as the Australia Council to continue in existence under the name Creative Australia with expanded functions, responsibilities and a new governance structure.
The Excise Tariff Amendment (Product Stewardship for Oil) Bill 2023 and Customs Tariff Amendment (Product Stewardship for Oil) Bill 2023 increase the rate of excise duty imposed on the manufacture and production of petroleum-based oils and their synthetic equivalents from 8.5 cents to 14.2 cents per litre or kilogram.
The Special Recreational Vessels Amendment Bill 2023 amends the Special Recreational Vessels Act 2019 to extend the sunset date from 30 June 2023 to 30 June 2025 to enable foreign special recreational vessels (also known as superyachts) to continue to opt into the coastal trading regulatory regime and obtain temporary licenses to operate charters in Australia.
The Infrastructure Australia Amendment (Independent Review) Bill 2023 implements aspects of the Australian Government response to the independent review of Infrastructure Australia, including to clearly articulate IA’s role, redefine IA’s functions and product, and establish a new governance structure.
THURSDAY, 15 JUNE
The Senate sits at 9am and starts the day with a Bill from Green Senator Janet Rice, the Ending Native Forest Logging Bill 2023. The Bill, if passed, would repeal the Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002, effectively ending native forest logging in Australia.
Government Business begins at 10.10am, which will see debate on the Migration Amendment (Australia's Engagement in the Pacific and Other Measures) Bill 2023, and the Migration (Visa Pre-application Process) Charge Bill 2023. The two Bills amends the Migration Act 1958 to enable the minister to implement a visa pre-application process to enable the random selection of eligible persons who would then be permitted to apply for a relevant visa. The Bills also impose a charge on a person registering to participate in a visa pre-application process.
The Education Legislation Amendment (Startup Year and Other Measures) Bill 2023 creates a new form of Higher Education Loan Program assistance, SY-HELP, which will be available to final year undergraduate students, current post-graduate students and recent graduates in accelerator program courses at Australian universities and university colleges.
The Jobs and Skills Australia Amendment Bill 2023 provides for the permanent governance arrangements and functions of Jobs and skills Australia, and enables the minister to establish a Ministerial Advisory Board.
The Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports Amendment (Animal Welfare) Bill 2023 expands the functions of the office of the Inspector-General of Live Animal Exports to include monitoring, investigation and reporting on the implementation of animal welfare and live animal exports legislation and standards in relation to livestock exports and rename it to the office of the Inspector-General of Animal Welfare and Live Animal Exports.
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FRIDAY, 16 JUNE
The Senate sits at 9.30am on Friday. Scheduled for debate is the Defence Legislation Amendment (Naval Nuclear Propulsion) Bill 2023, which clarifies that the current moratorium on civil nuclear power does not prevent the relevant regulators (the CEO of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and the Minister for the Environment and Water) from exercising their regulatory powers and performing functions in respect of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines.
The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures) Bill 2023 extends the capability of the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (‘the NAIF’) to provide financial assistance to the States and Territories, including an increase in the NAIF’s appropriation from $5 billion to $7 billion.
The Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Income Management Reform) Bill 2023 will facilitate an effective and efficient transition to the enhanced income management regime under Part 3AA of the Administration Act for those who choose to access a superior banking product.
The Treasury Laws Amendment (2023 Measures No. 2) Bill 2023 makes a number of amendments to treasury and taxation laws. ?
The Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care Subsidy) Bill 2023, amends family assistance legislation to confirm responsibility for certain Child Care Subsidy (CCS) debts.
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A full list of legislation scheduled in the Senate can be found here.??